Black chicken and green rice: Cynthia Shanmugalingam's recipes for a Sri Lankan summer barbecue

The Guardian

28-07-2025

In the 1990s, my cousin Sri Anna was a senior Sri Lankan policeman. Surprisingly for us, visiting from England, that meant he got a driver, a gun, a nice pad to live in and a team of sensational cooks to dish up various delicacies from wherever he was stationed. In the south, his favourite was black pork curry, and at my restaurant Rambutan we now make a marinade from similar spices for pineapple, beef and, my preference, chicken, before we grill it over coals. To lift it a little, the bird is finished with a quick fragrant oil of tempered spices and parsley (similar to the peppery island herb we call vallarai). You can eat it with or without the cool, green coconut rice and tomato sambol, which is my attempt to recreate a very tasty lunch I had at one of my favourite Colombo spots, Taste of Asia.
Fragrant with spices, cooked in coconut milk and with a grassy, fresh taste from the greens, this rice is very quick and easy, and perfect with the citrussy, tomato sambol that you find all over the island.
Prep 10 minCook 40 minServes 4
For the rice50g spinach, washed15g fresh coriander, washed2½cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled2 garlic cloves, peeled250g white rice
25g salted butter
3 green cardamom pods, gently crushed5 black peppercorns150ml coconut milk
2 tsp salt
For the sambol1 large ripe tomato, cut into 10-12 wedges½ large red onion, peeled and finely sliced1-2 green finger chillies, finely sliced, or to taste2 limes
1 tsp salt, to taste1 tbsp coconut oil, or neutral oil
Put the spinach, coriander, ginger and garlic in a small blender or food processor, and blitz to a smooth paste – you want all the fibres to break down, so you may need to add a splash of water to help things along.
Put the rice in a fine-meshed strainer and rinse under cold running water for about a minute, until the water runs mostly clear (this helps remove any surface starch, so the grains will be fluffy and separate when cooked). Leave the rice to drain.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan on a medium heat, then add the cardamom and black peppercorns and cook on a low heat for a minute or two – the spices should turn fragrant and start to sizzle slightly, but the butter should not be browned.
Stir the washed rice and blended greens into the butter, then pour in the coconut milk, salt and 300ml water, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer, cover and cook for 17-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and has absorbed all the liquid; stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and leave covered to keep warm while you make the sambol.
In a bowl, combine the tomato, red onion and green chilli. Season with lime juice, salt and oil, then taste and add more salt if need be. Mix well, making sure to break up the onion slices.
To assemble the dish, spread the rice over a large platter. Spoon some sambol over some of the rice, put the rest in a bowl to the side and serve.
Prep 15 minMarinade 2 hr+Cook 1 hr 15 minServes 4
For the black spice mix1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp cloves seeds
2 tsp chilli powder
For the chicken1 large whole chicken (about 1½-2kg)4 tbsp black spice mix (see above and method)1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 handful curry leaves, fresh, ideally120ml cider vinegar1 tbsp salt
3 large red onions, peeled and cut into wedges3 sticks lemongrass
For the temper100ml coconut oil, or neutral cooking oil½ tbsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp fennel seeds
4-5 fresh curry leaves
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped1 shallot, peeled and finely diced2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced 2 tsp cider vinegar
Salt, to taste
Roast all the whole spices for the spice mix (ie, everything bar the chilli powder) in a dry frying pan on a low to medium heat, stirring often, for five minutes, until they smell fragrant. Take off the heat, leave to cool, then tip into a spice grinder or mortar and blitz or grind to a fine powder. Put the powder back in the dry pan and toast on a high heat, stirring constantly, for a minute or two, until it turns dark brown and almost black in colour; this will turn them nutty and almost smoky. Take off the heat, leave to cool completely, then stir in the chilli powder. Store in a clean sealed jar and use within two months.
Turn the chicken breast side down, use kitchen scissors to cut all the way along each side of the backbone, then lift it out and discard (or save for stock). Flip the bird over so it's now breast side up, then press down with the palm of your hand to flatten and spatchcock it.
For the marinade, mix four tablespoons of the black spice mix in a roasting tray with the peeled garlic, curry leaves, vinegar, salt and red onions. Rub this mixture all over the bird, making sure you get it into all the crevices and under the skin, then cover and put in the fridge to marinade for two hours or overnight.
Take the chicken out of the fridge at least half an hour before you want to cook it. Lightly bash the lemongrass stalks, so they smell fragrant.
To barbecue the bird, lay it skin side down over medium-heat coals, put the lemongrass on top, then cover with foil. After 20 minutes, uncover and grill for 20 minutes more, until the skin crisps up and the chicken is cooked through yet juicy – if you have a probe, it should have an internal temperature of 70C. Alternatively, cover and roast in an 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 oven for about 40 minutes, again topped with the lemongrass, until the juices run clear.
Put the chicken to one side to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the quick tempered oil. Put the oil in a small pan on a medium heat and, once it's hot, add the mustard seeds and cook for 20 seconds, until they start to pop a little (be careful not to burn them, though). Turn down the heat, add the cumin and fennel seeds, and cook for 30 or so seconds, until fragrant. Tip into a bowl, stir in the curry leaves and leave to cool to warm. Stir the parsley, shallot, garlic and vinegar into the cooled temper, then season to taste.
Carve the chicken, arrange on a platter, dress with the parsley temper and serve.
Cynthia Shanmugalingam is chef/owner of Rambutan, London SE1